Big News

We have been in North Carolina for almost two weeks now. We had to unexpectedly cut our time in Tennessee short to head back to NC on business. In the end, it seems to have been Providence. And we have big news…

We have had a most wonderful 6 months traveling the country in our RV. It was such a huge blessing! But, I have really been struggling with UC for several months now and we have all decided that the best thing for our family right now is to move into a house. We found a great house just outside of Asheville, NC. So, a new adventure begins!

I just want to clarify one thing… traveling did not make me sick. Traveling did not make me sicker. I was sick in my house before leaving on this trip. It is no harder to be sick in an rv than it is in a house. The reasons we are moving into a house have nothing to do with being sick and everything to do with convenience for myself and my family while I am sick. For example, four people sharing one bathroom when one of those people has a UC flare – not convenient! LOL! (I just don’t want to give the impression that a disease can/should stop you from doing the things you want to do. You can be sick just as well in one place as another… it is just a matter of comfort.) So, live life and be happy! Chose your own limitations and don’t let anyone else determine what you can or cannot do!

Here are some pictures of our visit to a local apple orchard and Pisgah National Forest two weeks ago when the leaves were just beginning to change –

 

Goodbye, ICWW

I am attempting to blog from my phone due to internet issues. I work this doesn’t turn out too funky. 😉

Sunday morning we said goodbye to our campsite along the intracoastal waterway in Surf City, NC. We’d had a wonderful visit and it was hard to leave. But, moving on is just the nature of a trip like this.  So, on we went!

We are backin Raleigh, NC for a week.  The kids and I are enjoying a quiet, relaxing week while Nick is off doing work stuff (It is amazing how slow and relaxing a week can be when you don’t have a car to run around in. It’s kind of nice, actually. ).

The lovely ICWW –

 

Another Day at the Beach

We went back to Topsail Island for one last day at the beach. It was a perfectly beautiful day. We swam, soaked up some sun, and enjoyed visiting with my grandmother and aunt. We sure are going to miss this place!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I <3 Wilmington

We have been having such a wonderful time in Wilmington, NC! We called this place home for four years and it has been so fun to spend time here with family and old friends. We have spent the past two weeks visiting, swimming in the ocean and my Gram’s pool, and shopping and dining at old favorite spots. It has just been lovely! It is fun and exciting to visit new destinations, but there is something so wonderful about the familiar. I am so thankful for the time we have had with family and the chance to catch up with old friends. And, well, it’s just nice to have been missed.

 

 

 

 

Today Betsy and George went back to their old schools to eat lunch with friends. What a blessing it was to be back in those well-walked halls among familiar faces. So many dear friends! I was reminded of the blessed life we had had here in Wilmington. Oh, how thankful I am for those days and relationships and memories. 

After lunch, the kids, Gram, and I stopped at Carolina Beach. It was a wonderful day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings from Topsail Island!

Life is good at the beach! We spent a lovely weekend at Surf City and Topsail Beach.

Keeping Busy in N.C.

Sunday we headed off to Asheboro to visit NC Zoo. It was a beautiful day, but it was North Carolina in all its sweltering summer glory!  I had almost forgotten what a N.C. summer felt like. After complaining about having endured the coolest, rainiest summer of my life, the heat and humidity had finally found us! And, of course, so had the rain… again. The day had been dry, with the exception of a few refreshing sprinkles toward the end of the day. But, as soon as we started the drive home it began to pour. And, wow, North Carolina knows how to rain!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday we set off for the coast. It is so great to be back in the Wilmington area. We loved living here! We had a great dinner with my Gram, Aunt, and Uncle on Monday night. Tuesday I was stuck in bed with yet another pinched nerve – ugh! Yesterday we swam the day away with my Gram and Uncle and then Betsy and I met dear friends for dinner. It’s been busy, but we are having such a wonderful time!

Raleigh

We decided to leave the lively state park and head for the city today. We lived in Raleigh from 2010-2012, so it is a familiar spot for us. We had a great day! We had a quick visit with friends, lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, visited our usual used bookstore stops, and shopped at Whole Foods.

Steven’s Bookstore usually has a decent selection of used textbooks. I was hoping to find George a good science book and U.S. geography for both kids. I found the perfect science book (hooray!). I didn’t find the right geography text, but I found a fantastic history book. I also picked up two Agatha Christie paperbacks for myself. Oh, how I loved used books!

I was happy to finally get to Whole Foods. I have been back on a probiotics kick and wanted to try some different sources of good bacteria to supplement the bacteria I am taking in pill form. Probiotics are good for everyone, but they are extra important for those of us with digestive diseases. I never seem to be able stick with it for long (Which is mostly because they make me feel worse rather than better. Supposedly, eventually that passes, but I have yet to find out because I give up too quickly.), but here I go again. My friends in Virginia introduced me to kefir. I did not like the taste, but I drank it from time to time for my health. Today I tried kombucha for the first time. It isn’t my favorite, but I did like the taste better than kefir. The aftertaste, however, was pretty similar – ick! Maybe it will grow on me. Maybe.

Just Another Day of RV Living

What a day we had yesterday!  Shortly after I wrote yesterday’s blog post the crazy holiday weekenders began arriving. I am sure there will be a steady stream of RVs and boats pulling in today as well. So, there went the peace and quiet. But, it is still a lovely spot and I am enjoying it nonetheless!

In the afternoon, Betsy and I headed off to town to do laundry. I’d been to the outskirts of Henderson several times to visit the wonderful Raleigh Road Drive-In, but I’d never gone into town (I actually didn’t even realize there was a town). Let’s just say that poor Henderson has seen better days (I hope!). My gps took us into a questionable part of town and left us at a dirty laundromat beside a boarded up house, in front of an abandoned grocery store, and across the street from a man hollering up a storm about who-knows-what. So, that turned out to be the second scariest laundromat of our three month trip! Thankfully, we arrived home safe and sound.

In the evening, we decided we had better drain our tanks before the roads got any busier with holiday traffic. This is the first time we have not had sewer hookups at our camp site. We conserved our water usage and managed to go from Saturday afternoon until Thursday evening before filling up!  Of course, that required showering at the park bathroom, using paper plates, and such, which isn’t as convenient but not too terrible. I will, however, be glad to have sewer hookups at the next park! The minute George and Nick pulled away to go drain the tanks it started pouring. Betsy, Pierre, and I were soaked through. And for whatever reason, it felt like camping. Real camping. To my surprise, most of the time RV living feels just like that… living. So, it is fun once in a while to feel like a camper. Haha!

Elemental, my dear Watson

Elemental? Yes, elemental. I have been struggling with a UC flare for a few weeks now. I decided to go briefly on an elemental diet in an attempt to halt the bleeding without having to take extra drugs. An elemental diet is a “pre-digested” liquid that is easily absorbed by the body and therefore gives the digestive system a rest. I have used this diet in the past and I have had success when the bleeding isn’t too bad and I manage to stay on it long enough (#1 It is hard not to eat food. Really hard. If you don’t believe me, try it! and #2 The stuff tastes horrible! Really awful.). In good news, the bleeding seems to have stopped. It is my prayer that I am healing.

I am thankful for this beautiful, quiet spot to rest and (hopefully) recuperate. I am sure this park is going to fill up and be crazy over the holiday weekend, but for now I am making the most of the tranquility. I don’t always understand God’s plan, but I know He is always good and I can rest assured by that fact.

Back to School

Yesterday was our “first day of school”. I had a vague plan for this school year and tried to pack accordingly when we loaded up for this trip back in May. But, as with most moves, it got a bit chaotic at the end. I was apprehensive last week when I pulled out the books and supplies I had brought along for the upcoming year. To my surprise, I had managed to plan fairly well and brought along just about everything we needed (minus middle school science curriculum and a few other minor things). Ta-da!

 

 

 

Betsy is now officially an 11th grader and George is a 7th grader. Our first day went well and we are off to a great start. I can’t wait to see what this school year will hold for us. “Roadschooling” is going to be a bit different than “homeschooling”. I am keeping our schedules looser than usual so that we can take full advantage of all of the awesome opportunities that schooling on the road provides. We have already been amazed by the experiences our children had over the summer with hands on learning in science, history, and geography!